Femtocell location encoding

ABSTRACT

A device associated with a Voice over IP (VoIP) network receives a call from a mobile device. The device determines whether a sector identifier (ID) associated with the call includes a femtocell identifier. The device further determines a location identifier included in the sector ID when the sector ID includes the femtocell identifier. The device also identifies a recipient of the call based on the location identifier and forwards the call to the recipient.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from and is a continuation-in-part(CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/906,484, filed Oct. 18,2010, entitled “BROADCASTING CONTENT,” the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Location-sensitive call routing is used to direct a particular call(e.g., an emergency telephone call (e.g., a 911 call), a directoryassistance call (e.g., a 411 call), an information service call (e.g., a311 call), etc.) to an appropriate operator that services a callingregion that includes a location from where the particular call isplaced. In wireless data networks, the physical network may includetraditional wireless communication stations (macro cell base stations)installed at known fixed locations. Accordingly, a voice over Internetprotocol (VoIP) network may forward a location-sensitive call made froma mobile device, via a macro cell base station, based on a knownlocation of the macro cell base station. Another type of base station,called a femtocell, may also be used in such networks. A femtocell maybe a small form factor wireless base station, typically designed for usein a home or small business. Femtocells do not have fixed knownlocations. As a result, a VoIP network is unable to forward alocation-sensitive call made via a femtocell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example environment in which systems and/ormethods described herein may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of example components of one or more devices of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of example components of a mobile device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of example functional components of a femtocelldepicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example format for a sector identifier (ID);

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example process for facilitating alocation-sensitive call via a femtocell;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example process for forwarding alocation-sensitive call; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an example of routing a location-sensitivecall from a mobile device via a femtocell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the sameor similar elements.

The term message, as used herein, may refer to a signal, a frame, adatagram, a packet, or a cell; a fragment of a frame, a fragment of adatagram, a fragment of a packet, or a fragment of a cell; and/oranother type, arrangement, or packaging of data. The term location, asused herein, may refer to a geographic location.

An implementation, described herein, may allow routing oflocation-sensitive calls from a mobile device via femtocells. Afemtocell may determine its location. A mobile device may receive, fromthe femtocell, information about the location of the femtocell via asector identifier (ID) or another unique wireless network sessionidentifier. A VoIP network may forward a location-sensitive call placedby the mobile device, via the femtocell, to an appropriate operatorbased on the information about the location. The appropriate operatormay handle calls from a limited geographic area that includes thelocation from where the call is placed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example environment 100 in which systemsand/or methods described herein may be implemented. Environment 100 maygenerally illustrate a wireless communication system based on theEvolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) mobile communication standard. Inalternative implementations, other communication standards may be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, environment 100 may include multiple mobile devices110-1, 110-2, . . . , 110-N (referred to herein collectively as “mobiledevices 110” or generically as “mobile device 110”); a wireless corenetwork 120, including a packet control function (PCF) 125; a basestation 130; a femtocell 140; a management device 150; a VoIP corenetwork 160, including a VoIP device 165; a network 170; and multiplerecipient devices 180-1, 180-2, . . . , 180-M (referred to hereincollectively as “recipient devices 180” or generically as “recipientdevice 180”). Components of environment 100 may interconnect via wiredand/or wireless connections. Three mobile devices 110, one wireless corenetwork 120, one PCF 125, one base station 130, one femtocell 140, onemanagement device 150, one VoIP core network 160, one VoIP device 165,one network 170, and three recipient devices 180 have been illustratedin FIG. 1 for simplicity. In practice, there may be more mobile devices110, networks 120, PCFs 125, base stations 130, femtocells 140,management devices 150, VoIP core networks 160, VoIP devices 165,networks 170, and/or recipient devices 180.

Mobile device 110 may include any device capable of transmitting andreceiving data (e.g., voice, text, images, and/or multimedia data) overwireless core network 120. For example, mobile device 110 may be aself-contained data device, such as a mobile telephone, a smart phone,an electronic notepad, a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. Inanother implementation, mobile device 110 may be connected to acomputing device, such as laptop or personal computer. Mobile devices110 may establish wireless communication sessions with base stations 130or femtocells 140 using identical protocols. The wireless communicationsessions may be used for voice (e.g., telephone calls) or data sessions.

Wireless core network 120 may include components to implement a corenetwork of the EVDO standard. One implementation of such a core networkincludes the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) architecture. In otherimplementations, other network technologies, such as fourth-generationwireless telephone technology (“4G”), other third generation networktechnology (“3G”), or second-generation wireless telephone technology(“2G”), may be implemented instead of or in addition to EVDO. Componentswithin wireless core network 120 may generally be connected over wiredor wireless IP-based connections.

PCF 125 may include an entity that manages the relay of packets betweeneither base station 130 or femtocell 140 and another node within network120, such as a packet data serving node (PDSN). Network 120 may includemultiple PCFs 125. In one implementation, PCF 125 may assign, to mobiledevice 110, a unique session that is sent, via either base station 130or femtocell 140, to mobile device 110. In another implementation, onePCF 125 can support multiple base stations 130 or femtocells 140. In yetanother implementation, a separate PCF 125 may be used for each basestation 130 and/or femtocell 140.

Base station 130 may represent a base station designed to providewireless communication service (e.g., an access network) to a relativelylarge area and simultaneously serve a relatively large number of mobiledevices 110. Base station 130 may also be referred to herein as a macrocell or a macro cell base station.

Femtocell 140 may include a device designed to be placed within aresidence or small business setting and may connect to wireless corenetwork 120 via a wired broadband connection. Femtocell 140 may act as abase station for a limited set of active mobile devices, such as up tofour simultaneous mobile devices. In some instances, femtocell 140 maybe self-installed by end-users in the residences or business of theend-users. Femtocell 140 may determine its location, as describedfurther below. In one implementation, femtocell 140 may provide, tomobile device 110, an EVDO sector ID (herein, sector ID) that indicatesthat femtocell 140 is a femtocell and/or the location of femtocell 140.In another implementation, femtocell 140 may establish wirelesscommunication sessions with mobile device 110 using the same protocolsas that of base station 130.

Although mobile devices 110-2 through 110-N are shown in FIG. 1 asconnecting to base station 130 and mobile device 110-1 is shown asconnecting to femtocell 140, mobile devices 110 may generally connect toeither base station 130 or femtocell 140 (e.g., depending on thelocation of each mobile device 110). In a typical implementation, mobiledevice 110 may connect to femtocell 140 when mobile device 110 is withinrange of femtocell 140. When mobile device 110 moves out of range offemtocell 140, mobile device 110 may switch the connection to basestation 130, where the switch may be performed without interrupting thecommunication session of mobile device 110.

Management device 150 may include one or more server devices, or othertypes of computation or communication devices, that gather, process,search, and/or provide information in a manner described herein. In oneimplementation, management device 150 may receive and store informationassociated with femtocell 140 and/or one or more other femtocells.Management device 150 may receive, from femtocell 140, an identifier offemtocell 140. Management device 150 may determine a last known locationof femtocell 140 based on the identifier. Management device 150 maytransmit the last know location to femtocell 140. Thereafter, managementdevice 150 may receive, from femtocell 140, location informationassociated with a current location of femtocell 140. The locationinformation may include global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, alatitude and a longitude, and/or any other information that indicatesthe current location or geographical position of femtocell 140.

Management device 150 may determine, based on the location information,which cell towers (e.g., base station 130) are located within aparticular range of femtocell 140 and which frequencies (e.g., frequencybands) femtocell 140 should use. In some implementations, managementdevice 150 may determine, based on the location information, a locationidentifier (e.g., a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS)county code, a zip code, etc.). Management device 150 may transmitinformation about the cell towers and/or the frequencies and thelocation identifier to femtocell 140. Femtocell 140 may include thelocation identifier in a sector ID that is transmitted to mobile device110, as described further below.

VoIP core network 160 may include components to implement VoIP. VoIPcore network 160 may include a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), an intranet, theInternet, an IP-based network, a VoIP-based network, a combination ofnetworks, or a portion of one or more of the aforementioned networks.VoIP core network 160 may allow VoIP services that facilitate voicecommunications and multimedia sessions over VoIP core network 160. VoIPcore network 160 may connect wireless core network 120 to network 170.

VoIP device 165 may include any device that facilitates voicecommunications via VoIP core network 160. In one implementation, VoIPdevice 165 may include a serving call session control functions(S-CSCFs) component, a telephony application server, and/or any otherdevice that may facilitate a forwarding of a location-sensitive callfrom mobile device 110 to one of recipient devices 180.

Network 170 may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks. Forexample, network 170 may include a cellular network, a public landmobile network (PLMN), a second generation (2G) network, a thirdgeneration (3G) network, a fourth generation (4G) network, a fifthgeneration (5G) network, and/or one or more other networks.Additionally, or alternatively, network 170 may include a WAN, a MAN, atelephone network (e.g., the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)),an ad hoc network, an intranet, the Internet, a fiber optic-basednetwork (e.g., a FiOS network), and/or a combination of these or othertypes of networks. Network 170 may include wireless core network 120and/or VoIP core network 160.

Recipient device 180 may include a radiotelephone, a personalcommunications system (PCS) terminal (e.g., that may combine a cellularradiotelephone with data processing and data communicationscapabilities), a PDA (e.g., that can include a radiotelephone, a pager,Internet/intranet access, etc.), a laptop, a personal computer, aVoIP-based device, or other types of computation or communicationdevices, threads or processes running on these devices, and/or objectsexecutable by these devices. In one implementation, recipient device 180may include a VoIP-based calling device that is capable of initiatingand/or receiving a call to/from a VoIP subscriber (e.g., to/from mobiledevice 110 via VoIP device 165).

FIG. 2 is a diagram of example components of a device 200 that maycorrespond to one or more of PCF 125, base station 130, femtocell 140,management device 150, VoIP device 165, or recipient device 180. Each ofPCF 125, base station 130, femtocell 140, management device 150, device165, and/or recipient device 180 may include one or more devices 200. Asshown, device 200 may include a bus 210, a processing unit 220, a memory230, an input device 240, an output device 250, and a communicationinterface 260.

Bus 210 may permit communication among the components of device 200.Processing unit 220 may include one or more processors ormicroprocessors that interpret and execute instructions. In otherimplementations, processing unit 220 may be implemented as or includeone or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs), or the like.

Memory 230 may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type ofdynamic storage device that stores information and instructions forexecution by processing unit 220, a read only memory (ROM) or anothertype of static storage device that stores static information andinstructions for the processing unit 220, and/or some other type ofmagnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive forstoring information and/or instructions.

Input device 240 may include a device that permits an operator to inputinformation to device 200, such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a pen,a microphone, one or more biometric mechanisms, or the like. Outputdevice 250 may include a device that outputs information to theoperator, such as a display, a speaker, etc.

Communication interface 260 may include any transceiver-like mechanismthat enables device 200 to communicate with other devices and/orsystems. For example, communication interface 260 may include mechanismsfor communicating with other devices, such as other devices of network100.

As described below, device 200 may perform certain operations. Device200 may perform these operations in response to processing unit 220executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium,such as memory 230. A computer-readable medium may be defined as anon-transitory memory device. A memory device may include space within asingle physical memory device or spread across multiple physical memorydevices. The software instructions may be read into memory 230 fromanother computer-readable medium or from another device viacommunication interface 260. The software instructions contained inmemory 230 may cause processing unit 220 to perform processes describedherein. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or incombination with software instructions to implement processes describedherein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to anyspecific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

Although FIG. 2 shows example components of device 200, in otherimplementations, device 200 may include fewer components, differentcomponents, differently arranged components, or additional componentsthan depicted in FIG. 2. Alternatively, or additionally, one or morecomponents of device 200 may perform one or more other tasks describedas being performed by one or more other components of device 200.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of example components of mobile device 110. Asshown, mobile device 110 may include a processing unit 300, a memory310, a user interface 320, a communication interface 330, and/or anantenna assembly 340.

Processing unit 300 may include one or more processors, microprocessors,ASICs, FPGAs, or the like. Processing unit 300 may control operation ofmobile device 110 and its components. In one implementation, processingunit 300 may control operation of components of mobile device 110 in amanner described herein.

Memory 310 may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), and/or another type of memory to store data and instructions thatmay be used by processing unit 300.

User interface 320 may include mechanisms for inputting information tomobile device 110 and/or for outputting information from mobile device110. Examples of input and output mechanisms might include buttons(e.g., control buttons, keys of a keypad, a joystick, etc.) or a touchscreen interface to permit data and control commands to be input intomobile device 110; a speaker to receive electrical signals and outputaudio signals; a microphone to receive audio signals and outputelectrical signals; and/or a display to output visual information (e.g.,text input into mobile device 110).

Communication interface 330 may include, for example, a transmitter thatmay convert baseband signals from processing unit 300 to radio frequency(RF) signals and/or a receiver that may convert RF signals to basebandsignals. Alternatively, communication interface 330 may include atransceiver to perform functions of both a transmitter and a receiver.Communication interface 330 may connect to antenna assembly 340 fortransmission and/or reception of the RF signals.

Antenna assembly 340 may include one or more antennas to transmit and/orreceive RF signals over the air. Antenna assembly 340 may, for example,receive RF signals from communication interface 330 and transmit themover the air, and receive RF signals over the air and provide them tocommunication interface 330. In one implementation, for example,communication interface 330 may communicate, via antenna assembly 340,with a network and/or devices connected to a network (e.g., network120).

As described below, mobile device 110 may perform certain operations.Mobile device 110 may perform these operations in response to processingunit 300 executing software instructions of an application contained ina computer-readable medium, such as memory 310. The softwareinstructions may be read into memory 310 from another computer-readablemedium or from another device via communication interface 330. Thesoftware instructions contained in memory 310 may cause processing unit300 to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively,hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions to implement processes described herein. Thus,implementations described herein are not limited to any specificcombination of hardware circuitry and software.

Although FIG. 3 shows example components of mobile device 110, in otherimplementations, mobile device 110 may contain fewer components,different components, differently arranged components, or additionalcomponents than depicted in FIG. 3. In still other implementations, oneor more components of mobile device 110 may perform one or more othertasks described as being performed by one or more other components ofmobile device 110.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of example functional components of femtocell 140.In one implementation, the functions described in connection with FIG. 4may be performed by one or more components of device 200 (FIG. 2). Asshown in FIG. 4, femtocell 140 may include a location identifiercomponent 410 and a sector ID generator component 420.

Location identifier component 410 may include hardware or a combinationof hardware and software to determine a location of femtocell 140.Location identifier component 410 may transmit an identifier associatedwith femtocell 140 to management device 150. Location identifiercomponent 410 may receive, from management device 150, a last knownlocation in response to the identifier. Location identifier component410 may use assisted GPS (AGPS) and/or other techniques to determinelocation information about a current location of femtocell 140 based onthe last known location and a current time.

Location identifier component 410 may transmit the location informationto management device 150. In response, location identifier component 410may receive, from management device 150, information about cell towers(e.g., base station 130) that are located within a particular range offemtocell 140 and frequencies (e.g., frequency bands) which femtocell140 should use to transmit signals, messages, and/or packets. Femtocell140 may verify that the cell towers are located within the particularrange of femtocell 140 before broadcasting sector ID signals, asdescribed further below. In one implementation, location identifiercomponent 410 may also receive, from management device 150, a locationidentifier associated with the current location. In anotherimplementation, location identifier component 410 may determine thelocation identifier based on the location information.

Sector ID generator component 420 may include hardware or a combinationof hardware and software to assign a sector ID that includes a femtocellidentifier and the location identifier. Femtocell 140 may broadcast thesector ID to mobile device 110 when mobile device 110 crosses a subnetof femtocell 140 (e.g., the footprint of an access network defined bythe range of femtocell 140). While implementations described herein areprimarily described in the context of a sector ID, in otherimplementations, another unique wireless network session identifier maybe used.

The sector ID may include a femtocell identifier and the locationidentifier. In one implementation, the femtocell identifier may be atwo-bit value common to all femtocell identifiers within a serviceprovider's network. The femtocell identifier may be included within aparticular portion of the sector ID so that mobile device 110 may detectthe femtocell identifier and, for example, so that VoIP device 165 maydetermine that a call is made from mobile device 110 via a femtocell.The location identifier may be a value that identifies the currentlocation of femtocell 140. The location identifier may be includedwithin a different portion of the sector ID so that, for example, VoIPdevice 165 may forward a location-sensitive call to an appropriaterecipient device 180 that is associated with the current location.

Although FIG. 4 shows example functional components of femtocell 140, inother implementations, femtocell 140 may include different functionalcomponents, differently arranged functional components, and/oradditional functional components than depicted in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 depicts an example sector ID format 500 according to animplementation described herein. Sector ID format 500 may include a mostsignificant bits (MSB) section 510 and a least significant bits (LSB)section 520. MSB section 510 may include, for example, a femtocellidentifier (ID) section 530. LSB section 520 may include, for example, alocation ID section 540.

MSB section 510 may include “n” most significant bits (MSBs) thatrepresent the identifier for a subnet. In one example, MSB section 510may include 104 bits (e.g., bit numbers 0-103). Least significant bits(LSB) section 520 may include the remaining “128-n” bits that identify aparticular sector/device within a subnet. For example, LSB section 520may include 24 bits (e.g., bit numbers 104-127).

Femtocell ID section 530 may be a particular number and location of bitsdesignated for identifying femtocell use. In one example, femtocell IDsection 530 may include bits 48 and 49 as dedicated femtocell indicatorbits. For example, all femtocells may use the same predefined two-bitpattern (e.g., “11”) in femtocell ID section 530 to uniquely identifythemselves as femtocells. Thus, a sector ID provided to mobile device110, from femtocell 140, may include the predefined two-bit pattern infemtocell ID section 530. Conversely, an identifier provided to mobiledevice 110, from base station 130, may include a different bit or set ofbits in femtocell ID section 530.

Location ID section 540 may be a particular number and location of bitsdesignated for identifying a location of femtocell 140. In oneimplementation, location ID section 540 may include any portion of LSBsection 520 (e.g., bits 106-111) as dedicated location bits. Location IDsection 540 may include a bit pattern that identifies the location(e.g., Essex County, N.J.). The bit pattern may include a value that isequal to a value of a FIPS county code (e.g., 34013), a zip code (e.g.,07039), a local access and transport area (LATA) code (e.g., 224), anarea code (e.g., 973), and/or any other value that identifies thelocation. Thus, a sector ID provided to mobile device 110, fromfemtocell 140, may include the bit pattern in location ID section 540.

Although FIG. 5 shows an example sector ID format 500, in otherimplementations, sector ID format 500 may include fewer sections,different sections, differently arranged sections, and/or additionalsections than depicted in FIG. 5. For example, in anotherimplementation, location ID section 540 may include any portion of MSBsection 510 (e.g., bits 99-103) as dedicated location bits except theportion (e.g., femtocell ID section 530) of MSB section 510 that is usedfor dedicated femtocell indicator bits.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example process 600 for facilitating alocation-sensitive call via a femtocell. In one example implementation,femtocell 140 may perform process 600. Alternatively, process 600 may beperformed by one or more other devices, alone or in combination withfemtocell 140.

As shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include transmitting an identifierto a device (block 610) and receiving, from the device, a last knownlocation of a femtocell (block 620). For example, a user may turn onfemtocell 140. After femtocell 140 completes initialization, femtocell140 may transmit, to management device 150, an identifier associatedwith femtocell 140. Management device 150 may retrieve a last knownlocation of femtocell 140 based on the identifier. Management device 150may transmit, to femtocell 140, the last known location of femtocell140. Femtocell 140 may receive the last known location of femtocell 140.

Process 600 may further include determining current location informationassociated with the femtocell (block 630) and transmitting the currentlocation information to the device (block 640). For example, afterreceiving the last known location of femtocell 140, femtocell 140 maydetermine a current time. Femtocell 140 may use AGPS to determinecurrent location information based on the last known location offemtocell 140 and the current time. The current location information mayinclude GPS coordinates that indicate a current location of femtocell140. Femtocell 140 may transmit, to management device 150, the currentlocation information.

Process 600 may also include receiving broadcasting information from thedevice (block 650). For example, management device 150 may update thelast known location of femtocell 140 based on the current locationinformation. Management device 150 may also determine broadcastinginformation based on the current location information. The broadcastinginformation may include information about cell towers (e.g., basestation 130) that are located within a particular range of femtocell140; information about carrier spectrums that a mobile phone carrier,associated with management device 150 and wireless core network 120,owns in an area that includes the current location of femtocell 140;and/or frequencies that femtocell 140 should use to broadcast signals tomobile devices 110. In one implementation, the broadcasting informationmay also include a location identifier associated with the currentlocation. In another implementation, femtocell 140 may determine thelocation identifier. Management device 150 may transmit the broadcastinginformation to femtocell 140. Femtocell 140 may receive the broadcastinginformation.

Process 600 may also include generating a sector ID (block 660) andbroadcasting the sector ID (block 670). For example, femtocell 140 mayverify an existence of the cell towers specified in the broadcastinginformation. After verifying the existence of the cell towers, femtocell140 may generate a sector ID by using, for example, sector ID format 500(FIG. 5). Femtocell 140 may include/encode a femtocell identifier (e.g.,11) in femtocell ID section 530 of the sector ID. Femtocell 140 mayfurther include/encode the location identifier in location identifiersection 540. When mobile device 110 is within a particular range offemtocell 140, mobile device 110 may select to use femtocell 140. Aftermobile device 110 selects femtocell 140, femtocell 140 may broadcast thesector ID to mobile device 110. In one implementation, femtocell 140 mybroadcast the sector ID by using frequencies specified in the broadcastinformation.

Process 600 may also include facilitating a location-sensitive VoIP call(block 680). For example, a user of mobile device 110 may use mobiledevice 110 to place a location sensitive VoIP call, such as, forexample, by entering a phone number (e.g., 411, 911, etc.) associatedwith a particular type of location-sensitive call. Mobile device 110 maygenerate a VoIP signaling message to place the call. Mobile device 110may include the sector ID in a VoIP signaling header of the VoIPsignaling message. The VoIP signaling message may also include a phonenumber associated with the call. Mobile device 110 may transmit the VoIPsignaling message with the VoIP signaling header, via femtocell 140(i.e., femtocell 140 may forward the VoIP signaling message), to VoIPdevice 165 in order to establish a connection for the call.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example process 700 for forwarding alocation-sensitive call. In one example implementation, VoIP device 165may perform process 700. Alternatively, process 700 may be performed byone or more other devices, alone or in combination with VoIP device 165.

As shown in FIG. 7, process 700 may include receiving a call (block 710)and determining whether the call is location-sensitive (block 720). Forexample, VoIP device 165 may receive a call (e.g., a VoIP signalingmessage) from mobile device 110. VoIP device 165 may determine, based ona dialed phone number for the call, whether the call islocation-sensitive. The VoIP signaling message associated with the callmay include the phone number. In one implementation, VoIP device 165 maystore or have access to a list of location sensitive phone numbers(e.g., 411, 911, 311, etc.) that are associated with differentlocation-sensitive types of calls.

If the call is not location-sensitive (block 720-NO), process 700 mayfurther include forwarding the call based on a phone number (block 725).For example, VoIP device 165 may determine that the call is not alocation-sensitive call when the phone number (e.g., 908-259-1246) isnot on the list of location-sensitive phone numbers. When VoIP device165 determines that the call is not location-sensitive, VoIP device 165may forward the call to a particular recipient (e.g., home phone of JohnSmith) associated with the phone number.

If the call is location-sensitive (block 720-YES), process 700 mayfurther include determining whether a femtocell ID is present (block730). For example, VoIP device 165 may determine that the call islocation-sensitive when the phone number (e.g., 411) is on the list oflocation-sensitive phone numbers. When VoIP device 165 determines thatthe call is location sensitive, VoIP device 165 may determine whether afemtocell ID is present in a sector ID, included in a VoIP signalingheader of the VoIP signaling message, associated with the call.

If the femtocell ID is not present (block 730-NO), process 700 mayinclude identifying a recipient based on the sector ID (block 735). Forexample, VoIP device 165 may determine that the femtocell ID is notpresent when the sector ID does not include a particular femtocellidentifier (e.g., a two-bit identifier in femtocell identifier section530). When VoIP device 165 determines that the femtocell ID is notpresent, VoIP device 165 may determine that the call was received viabase station 130 (and not via femtocell 140). The sector ID may uniquelyidentify base station 130. VoIP device 165 may store or have access to areference table that identifies which recipients are associated withwhich sector IDs, of base stations, for particular types oflocation-sensitive calls. Accordingly, VoIP device 165 may use thereference table to identify a recipient (e.g., recipient device 180-2)of the call based on the sector ID.

If the femtocell ID is present (block 730-YES), process 700 may includeparsing the sector ID for a location ID (block 740) and determining arecipient based on the location ID (block 750). For example, VoIP device165 may determine that the femtocell ID is present when the sector IDincludes the particular femtocell identifier. When VoIP device 165determines that the femtocell ID is present, VoIP device 165 may parsethe sector ID to detect a location ID (included, for example, inlocation ID section 540). VoIP device 165 may identify an appropriaterecipient for the location-sensitive call based on the location ID andthe phone number, included in the VoIP signaling message, associatedwith the call. For example, the location ID may include a FIPS countycode (e.g. 34013) that identifies Essex County, N.J. VoIP device 165 mayidentify recipient device 180-2 based on the FIPS county code and thephone number (e.g., 411). The operator(s) that uses recipient device180-2 may provide a particular service (e.g., directory assistance)associated with the number (e.g., 411) for callers from Essex County,N.J.

Process 700 may also include forwarding the call to the recipient (block760). For example, after identifying recipient device 180-2 based on thesector ID or based on the location ID, VoIP device 165 may forward thecall to recipient device 180-2. Thereafter, a connection may beestablished between mobile device 110 and recipient device 180-2. Theoperator of recipient device 180-2 may assist the user of mobile device110.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram 800 of an example of routing alocation-sensitive call from a mobile device via a femtocell. Forexample, assume that a network administrator sets up femtocell 140 in abusiness located in Essex County, N.J. As shown in FIG. 8, femtocell 140may transmit a femtocell identifier 802, of femtocell 140, to managementdevice 150. Management device 150 may determine a last known location804 based on femtocell identifier 802. Management device 150 maytransmit last known location 804 to femtocell 140. Femtocell 140 maydetermine current location information 806 (e.g., GPS coordinates,latitude and longitude, etc.), associated with a current location (e.g.,Essex County, N.J.) of femtocell 140, based on last known location 804and a current time. Femtocell 140 may transmit current locationinformation 806 to management device 150. Management device 150 maydetermine broadcasting information 808 based on current locationinformation 806. Broadcasting information 808 may include a locationidentifier (e.g., FIPS county code 34013) associated with the currentlocation of femtocell 140.

Management device 150 may transmit broadcasting information 808 tofemtocell 140. Femtocell 140 may receive broadcasting information 808.Femtocell 140 may generate sector ID 810 based on the locationidentifier. Sector ID 810 may include a femtocell identifier thatindicates that femtocell 140 is a femtocell, and may also include thelocation identifier.

Assume that a user of mobile device 110 enters the business located inEssex County, N.J. Mobile device 110 may select to use femtocell 140when mobile device 110 is within a particular range of femtocell 140.After mobile device 110 selects femtocell 140, femtocell 140 maytransmit sector ID 810 to mobile device 110. While at the business,assume that the user observes an event that requires emergencyassistance. Further assume that the user uses mobile device 110 to diala phone number (e.g., 911) to make a location-sensitive call 820 inorder to receive the emergency assistance. Mobile device 110 maygenerate a VoIP signaling message to place location-sensitive call 820.The VoIP signaling message may include a VoIP signaling header thatincludes sector ID 810. The VoIP signaling message may also include thephone number. Mobile device 110 may transmit the VoIP signaling message,via femtocell 140, to VoIP device 165 to place location-sensitive call820.

VoIP device 165 may determine that location-sensitive call 820 islocation-sensitive based on the phone number (e.g., 911). VoIP device165 may further determine that location-sensitive call 820 is placed viafemtocell 140 based on the femtocell identifier included in sector ID810. VoIP device 165 may parse sector ID 810 to determine the locationidentifier associated with femtocell 140.

Assume that recipient device 180-2 receives calls at an emergencydispatch center that provides assistance to users who call from withinEssex County, N.J. VoIP device 165 may identify, based on the locationidentifier, recipient device 180-2. VoIP device 165 may forwardlocation-sensitive call 820 to recipient device 180-2. A connection 830may be established between an operator of recipient device 180-2, whohandles calls from current location of femtocell 140, and the user ofmobile device 110. The user of mobile device 110 may use connection 830to provide information about the event that requires emergencyassistance.

The foregoing description of implementations provides illustration anddescription, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variationsare possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired frompractice.

For example, while series of blocks have been described with regard toFIGS. 6 and 7, the order of the blocks may be modified in otherimplementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may be performed inparallel.

It will be apparent that example aspects, as described above, may beimplemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardwarein the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual softwarecode or specialized control hardware used to implement these aspectsshould not be construed as limiting. Thus, the operation and behavior ofthe aspects were described without reference to the specific softwarecode-it being understood that software and control hardware could bedesigned to implement the aspects based on the description herein.

Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as a“component” that performs one or more functions. These components mayinclude hardware, such as a processor, an ASIC, or a FPGA, or acombination of hardware and software.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are notintended to limit the disclosure of the invention. In fact, many ofthese features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in theclaims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependentclaim listed below may directly depend on only one other claim, thedisclosure of the invention includes each dependent claim in combinationwith every other claim in the claim set.

No element, act, or instruction used in the present application shouldbe construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitlydescribed as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended toinclude one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term“one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” isintended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly statedotherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by a deviceassociated with a Voice over IP (VoIP) network, a call from a mobiledevice; determining whether the call is location-sensitive based on aphone number associated with the call; determining, by the device,whether a sector identifier associated with the call includes afemtocell identifier in response to determining that the call islocation-sensitive; in response to determining that the sectoridentifier includes the femtocell identifier, detecting, by the device,a location identifier included in the sector identifier, identifying, bythe device, a first recipient of the call based on the locationidentifier, and forwarding, by the device, the call to the firstrecipient; in response to determining that the sector identifier doesnot include the femtocell identifier, identifying a second recipient ofthe call based on the sector identifier, and forwarding, by the device,the call to the second recipient, wherein the device receives the callvia a base station, and the sector identifier includes informationidentifying the base station associated with the second recipient of thecall.
 2. The method of claim 1, where the sector identifier comprisesdedicated location identifier bits for the location identifier.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, where the location identifier is one of: a FederalInformation Processing Standard (FIPS) county code, a zip code, a localaccess and transport area (LATA) code, or an area code.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, where the device receives the call via a femtocell in responseto determining that the sector identifier includes the femtocellidentifier, and where the location identifier indicates a currentlocation of the femtocell.
 5. The method of claim 1, where the recipientcomprises a telephone device of an operator that handles calls from anarea that includes a location from where the call is placed.
 6. A devicecomprising: a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and aprocessor to execute the instructions in the memory to: provide afemtocell identifier in a sector identifier, where the femtocellidentifier indicates that the device is a femtocell, provide a locationidentifier in the sector identifier, where the location identifierindicates a current location of the device, broadcast the sectoridentifier to a mobile device, transmit, to a management device, anidentifier of the device, receive, from the management device, a lastknown location of the device, determine a current time, determinecurrent location information for the device based on the last knownlocation and the current time, and determine the location identifierbased on the current location information.
 7. The device of claim 6,where, when broadcasting the sector identifier, the processor is furtherto execute instructions to: transmit the sector identifier to the mobiledevice when the mobile device is within a particular range of the deviceand the mobile device selects the device.
 8. The device of claim 6,where the location identifier is one of: a Federal InformationProcessing Standard (FIPS) county code of a county that includes thecurrent location, or a zip code of an area that includes the currentlocation.
 9. The device of claim 6, where the processor is further toexecute instructions to: determine global positioning system (GPS)coordinates of the device, and determine the location identifier basedon the GPS coordinates.
 10. The device of claim 9, where, whendetermining the location identifier, the processor is further to executeinstructions to: transmit, to the management device, the GPScoordinates, and receive, from the management device, the locationidentifier.
 11. The device of claim 6, where the sector identifierincludes: dedicated femtocell indicator bits for the femtocellidentifier, and dedicated location indicator bits for the locationidentifier.
 12. The device of claim 6, where the processor is further toexecute instructions to: transmit the current location information tothe management device, and receive broadcasting information from themanagement device, and where the broadcasting information comprises oneor more of: the location identifier, information about cell towerslocated within a particular range of the device, or information aboutfrequencies for the device to use.
 13. One or more non-transitorycomputer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or moreprocessors of a computing device, the media storing one or moreinstructions of: receiving a call from a mobile device; determiningwhether the call is location-sensitive based on a phone numberassociated with the call; determining whether a femtocell identifier ispresent in a sector identifier associated with the call in response todetermining that the call is location-sensitive; parsing the sectoridentifier for a location identifier in response to determining that thefemtocell identifier is present in the sector identifier; establishing aconnection, for the call, between the mobile device and a firstrecipient device based on the location identifier in response todetermining that the femtocell identifier is present in the sectoridentifier; and establishing a connection, for the call, between themobile device and a second recipient device based on the sectoridentifier in response to determining that the femtocell identifier isnot present in the sector identifier.
 14. The media of claim 13, whereestablishing the connection between the mobile device and the firstrecipient device in response to determining that the femtocellidentifier is present in the sector identifier comprises: identifyingthe first recipient device based on the location identifier, andforwarding the call to the first recipient device.
 15. The media ofclaim 13, where the first recipient device comprises a telephone deviceof an operator that handles calls from a location associated with thelocation identifier.
 16. The media of claim 13, where the locationidentifier indicates a current location of a femtocell that generatedthe sector identifier.